Chapter 69 — Checking Affection
Chapter 69 — Checking Affection
Translation: Godtl
The table was filled with well-prepared dishes.
Kalix ate heartily, disregarding table manners, while Romeo savored his food very slowly.
The spread was so excellent that Lelia's appetite, which had fallen because of Lute, seemed to return.
Lelia glanced at the two of them while eating.
Come to think of it, she needed to complete this quest too....
The quest content was identical for both.
Raise favorability by another [+10].
She thought about checking her current favorability, but using a ticket for that felt wasteful.
After all, once favorability increased by 10, the quest completion notification would automatically appear anyway.
She planned to save the favorability check ticket in case of emergencies.
"Did anything happen?"
Near the end of the meal, Kalix suddenly asked.
She didn't know why, but upon hearing that question, Lelia's nose tingled for no reason.
Today's events flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern. She felt the tension suddenly drain away completely.
"...."
"What? Why are your eyes turning red? Are you crying?"
Kalix wrinkled his brow.
At those words, Romeo's gaze also turned toward Lelia.
"Someone must have bothered you at the tea party?"
Romeo said with a smirk, yet his tone was worried.
Bang!
As soon as those words ended, Kalix slammed his fist on the table.
"Who dares bully Leo's little sister?"
Him taking her side made her emotions surge even more.
Though she didn't show it, today had been truly difficult for Lelia.
Seeing the bright and cheerful Julianna, seeing the hostile Cedric and Damian.
Pretending to be a man and hiding her identity. Fulfilling Lute's requests for the sacred artifact—all of it.
"Hmm. Should I have gone with you? Tell me, who bothered you? I'll pull out all their hair."
"Would that be enough? You should grab them by the collar."
At Romeo and Kalix's continued words, Lelia finally burst out laughing.
But the two men's expressions were serious.
Lelia felt something solid welling up in her heart. It was reassuring.
"It was just difficult. Pretending to be a man is no ordinary task."
At Lelia's words, Romeo chuckled as if he had expected that, and Kalix's brow furrowed.
It was an expression asking why she would do such a thing.
"The truth is... there's something I need Lord Lute's help with, so I'm fulfilling his requests."
"Lute? What could you possibly need his help for?"
"That favor Leo mentioned before?"
"Yes."
"What exactly is it that you need that bastard's help for?"
Kalix asked with a sullen expression.
"I really can't tell you in detail right now. Later... I'll tell you everything."
When Lelia said that, Kalix and Romeo asked no further.
However, they added that if she needed anything, she should just say so.
"Then, since the topic came up, if I go to a tea party again, would you come with me...?"
At Lelia's words, the two hurriedly rose from their seats and went over to the sofa on that side.
Though a bit annoying, Lelia still found herself smiling.
It felt like all the difficulties of today were flying away.
'Yes, let's do this.'
With this energy, Lelia resolved to obtain Lute's sacred artifact as quickly as possible.
After dinner.
At Romeo's suggestion, Lelia spent more time having tea with the two of them.
While doing so, she opened up a bit about Lute's request.
That she had to help Lute and Princess Julianna get together well.
And that to do so, she would have to become a playboy.
"Playboy? A playboy?"
The two found the word funny, exchanging glances before clutching their stomachs and laughing.
"Ah, that's really funny!"
Kalix even lay back on the sofa, kicking his feet while giggling.
'Fine. As long as you're happy...'
Lelia looked at them with a blank expression, feeling deflated.
Just then, the quest mark floating above Kalix's head suddenly sparkled.
At the same time, with a ding! sound, a rectangular window appeared.
[Quest Complete! ✧*.◟(ˊᗨˋ)◞.*✧ Receiving rewards!]
∙ Affection Check Tickets x5
∙ Special Recipe Puzzle Pieces x2
∙ Alchemy Lottery Tickets x2
∙ Lv.? Random Gift Box x1
'...Wait, did the affection level go up because it was funny?'
Lelia looked at Kalix in bewilderment.
Are you really that simple?
She asked internally out of sheer disbelief, and as if answering her question, Kalix smiled and suggested.
"This kid is really funny. Alright, I'm in a good mood. Next time there's a tea party, come join us!"
Kalix said heartily.
"Then I'll come along too."
Romeo also looked at Lelia with a smile.
'These guys... they just want to come watch!'
Acting like they're doing me a favor!
Her clenched fists trembled.
Later when she could reveal the truth about being Leo, she would definitely restore her dignity as the captain.
By the way, she thought the previous quest had no rewards, but apparently it did.
Just then, the next quest window appeared as well.
[Try to raise the affection level of Special Affection Target to 70 or higher!!(•̀ᴗ•́)و ̑̑]
※ Quest Story Progress: 25%
Lelia also checked the reward list below.
∙ Affection Check Tickets x10
∙ Special Recipe Puzzle Pieces x5
∙ Lv. 3 Random Gift Box[?] x2
∙ Quest Jump Coin
'What's a Quest Jump Coin?'
As she asked internally, the item description appeared.
[A magic coin that can jump Quest Story Progress by up to 10~50%(~˘▾˘)~♫•*¨*•.¸¸♪
※Caution: The value is applied randomly.]
'Raise the affection level to 70...'
It felt like the difficulty had suddenly increased.
There was a reason why they gave five Affection Check Tickets as a reward for the previous quest.
'Check the affection level while raising it to 70.'
In that case, she needed to use the tickets sparingly.
Without tickets, she'd have to spend a whopping 1,000 crystals.
Still, she could feel the rewards getting better.
Lelia pressed the accept button and glanced at Romeo, who was talking with Kalix.
'I need to complete Romeo's quest too...'
But Lute's matter was more urgent.
Thinking of Lute, her chest felt heavy as if something was weighing on it.
'Griffith and Oscar will arrive in a few weeks. I must finish this before then.'
After everyone says their final goodbyes at 'Leo's' grave, Kalix will leave Auraria as in the original story.
And live as a wandering mercenary.
She needed to obtain the holy relic before Kalix leaves.
She couldn't lift the taboo and confess the truth to her friends as originally planned, but that was okay.
Because treating Kalix's eyes would be more valuable.
'Instead, I'll quickly obtain the Philosopher's Stone and seek out my friends one by one.'
Around the time she had organized her thoughts.
The two were giggling again, talking about something.
Listening closely, the topic of conversation was 'how Lelia would become a playboy in high society.'
She had shared her genuine concerns...
But the two seemed to find it endlessly amusing.
'Maybe I shouldn't have said anything.'
When Kalix drew the line saying 'That kid, a playboy? That's impossible, ' Romeo argued that it wasn't.
He chattered about the painting they saw in the busy streets. Thanks to that painting's popularity, men with delicate appearances like Lelia were popular.
Hearing this, Kalix clutched his stomach and laughed like crazy. Romeo did the same.
'These guys are seriously...'
Lelia's feelings wavered between two things.
The thought that 'It's good that my friends are laughing.'
And the indignant feeling that 'I was their captain, yet they're mocking me...'